FLAGSTAFF,
Ariz. ?
The ULM soccer team had its chances, but a trio of mental mistakes against
Boise State yielded all the scores in a 3-0 loss in the opening round of the
Eighth Annual Mountain Classic in Flagstaff, Ariz. on Friday night.
ULM (3-3) traded possessions with the Broncos
through much of the game, but couldn't capitalize on their chances. Of the team's
nine shots, six came on frame. The Warhawks had several other offensive
opportunities, but couldn't get a shot off.
“We had some excellent opportunities to
score, but just couldn't capitalize on them,” ULM head coach Stacy Lamb said. “We
played a strong game on both sides of the ball and had a conference match-type
effort tonight. Mistakes cost us tonight, but I don't believe that Boise State
is a team that is three goals better than us. The score didn't indicate how
close the game was.”
A defensive lapse allowed Shannon Saxton to
give Boise State (4-3-1) the game-winning score in the match's 18th
minute. A close offsides call against the Warhawks led to a Broncos counter
that ended with Saxton bending a shot over the hands of junior Mallory George.
The two squads played even throughout the
rest of the opening period.
In the second half, Cheyenne Jones netted a
pair of scores within a three-minute stretch to move ahead 3-0 and seal the
victory.
A defender for her entire playing career, sophomore
Ashleigh Fitterer made her first ever appearance in goal against the Broncos.
In just over 25 minutes of play, Fitterer allowed no goals, thwarted a pair of
corner attempts, and saved two shots.
“Ashleigh is the epitome of a team player,”
Lamb said. “When we found out that Mallory would be touch-and-go, she
volunteered to go in there. She is a selfless player who really stepped up for
us today. She proved how much of a team player she is today.”
The Warhawks will look to snap a season-long
three-match skid on Sunday at 3 p.m. when they take on host-Northern Arizona in
the final game of the Mountain Classic.
